Steelers, Panthers win divisions with defense

Pittsburgh Steelers' Keyaron Fox (57) pushed out of bounds by Baltimore Ravens punter Sam Koch, center, and Ravens' Tom Zbikowski (28) after recovering a fumble on a punt return during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 14, 200, in Baltimore. The Steelers won 13-9. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
— AP

Pittsburgh Steelers' Keyaron Fox (57) pushed out of bounds by Baltimore Ravens punter Sam Koch, center, and Ravens' Tom Zbikowski (28) after recovering a fumble on a punt return during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 14, 200, in Baltimore. The Steelers won 13-9. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
/ AP

The Pittsburgh Steelers asserted themselves as the NFL's top defense to win the AFC North. The Carolina Panthers took their division title with another outburst of offense.

In a meeting of the league's top two defenses, Pittsburgh got a late touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to grit out a 13-9 win Sunday – the Steelers' first in Baltimore since 2002.

"They got a big sack when they had to at the end of the game ... then took the ball down the field and scored," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "That's the way they've won games."

It was by the slimmest of margins. Holmes' catch was reviewed because it appeared that while Holmes' feet were in the end zone, the ball was not.

Later, referee Walt Coleman said, "He had two feet down. When he gained control of the ball, the ball was breaking the plane."

The Panthers got another standout performance from running back DeAngelo Williams, whose cutback 56-yard run helped them to a 30-10 win over Denver. Steve Smith had nine catches for 165 yards and a TD.

Pittsburgh (11-3) won its second division title in a row by limiting the Ravens (9-5) to a season-low 202 yards. The Steelers have gone 14 straight games without yielding 300 yards, tying the 1973 Los Angeles Rams for the longest streak to start a season since the NFL merger in 1970.

The Steelers were down 9-6 before moving 92 yards in 13 plays. Roethlisberger went 7-for-11 for 89 yards on the drive, sealing Pittsburgh's fourth comeback in the fourth quarter this season, including last week against Dallas, when the Steelers scored 17 points in the final 8 minutes of a 20-13 win.

"We make the plays when they count," Holmes said. "It doesn't matter how the game goes through the course of three quarters. It always comes down to playing four quarters of football."

Carolina (11-3) improved to 8-0 at home in front of owner Jerry Richardson, who is awaiting a heart transplant.

Players didn't know Richardson – the first ex-NFL player to own a team since George Halas – was at the game until he was shown on the video board in the second half.

Williams' long TD run was the biggest play for Carolina's two-headed running game. While Williams and Jonathan Stewart (140 combined yards) weren't as impressive as six days earlier when they rushed for 301 yards and four touchdowns against Tampa Bay, it was enough to avoid any letdown a week before the Panthers visit the New York Giants with the No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line.